Up Your Instagram Game in 7 Easy Steps

Want to make your photos stand out? Keep your Instagram feed double-tap worthy with these tips that will surely up your Instagram game.

Explore new angles

While we all must remember the rule of thirds in photography, it pays to break it sometimes. In art, there are no rules to be followed strictly. So play with angles and try to look at your subject in different ways aside from the usual. Try getting low, try on an upper level, try to get really close or maybe take a few steps back. Perspective is the key.

Try restaurants with scenic views.

Move farther and compare photos on both sides

Play with your settings.

One can just select a filter and be okay with it. But the fundamental steps of adding “oomphh!” to your photos start with settings. Begin with exposure, then with contrast, add warmth or cool the temp down. You can adjust the sharpness but do not exaggerate, keep it as natural as possible. My favorite tool is the shadows. I like putting colors subtly to my shadows to make it look straight from a film. If you prefer pop images, play with tint for that retro feel.

Know your style
It all boils down to personal preference. Personally, I take inspiration from lomography and film photography. Some people like to go black and white all the way, some like it washed to almost fading, some like it bright and colorful and others like it dark or vintage. No matter what you prefer, as long as it gives you the satisfaction, go for it.

Chromatic Series are my favorite among other filters

Choose the proper filter
Here comes the tricky part. I spend so much time picking the right filter but how does one know what to use? You just know it. It’s a connection between taste and style. Personally, I like the Chromatic and Essence series of VSCO out of all the filters.

Be consistent
Keep your photos synchronized. I am not telling you to just use one setting all the time. I mean, build your trademark. And in order to achieve it, one must be consistent not only to the style but also to the quality and story of the photo. Of course one must remember to shoot not just for the sake of having something to post but go beyond it. Make your photos stand out so much that it can stand alone without captions.

ALL CAPS FOR EMPHASIS. Photos taken using selfie sticks are my pet peeve. I’d rather ask someone to take the photo than looking at my phone while holding out the stick. No offense to those who do it but for me, it just doesn’t look appealing. When I do take a selfie, it has to be in a landscape mode for a beautiful background. See example below.

And there you have it, folks. That is my editing routine, some of the steps I have to do before posting it on Instagram. It may look like it’s a lot of work but I always have fun nevertheless. Hope you learned from my tips. See you around TheSocialphile.com and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @ivytorres18 🙂